0 Fundraising Agenda - PA Parks & Forestspaparksandforests.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Fundraising.pdf · Adapted from Kim Klein, Fundraising for Social Change Bayer Center for

Fundraising Training

1. Where does money come from? 2. Can I be a fundraiser?

a. Joan Flanagan exercise b. Finding your inner fundraiser

3. Can my friends group raise money? 4. What is our plan for fundraising?

Hand‐outs included:

1. Finding Your Inner Fundraiser 2. Initial Questionnaire 3. Fundraising Planning Worksheet 4. Sample Fundraising Plan Template 5. Blank Fundraising Plan Template

Appendix: Benefits of Partnering for Corporations 53 Ways for Board Members to Raise $1,000 Assessment Tool

One of the common reasons (or excuses?) given by boardmembers and other volunteers as to why they can’t partic-

ipate in fundraising is that they don’t know how. Explaining thatfundraising is not so complicated, but based on basic commonsense and a willingness to interact with people isn’t alwaysenough to encourage them to try it.

Here’s a tool to help your potential fundraising teamunderstand that they already have skills and experience thatcan be applied to fundraising. We created this assessmentform to help board members, volunteers and other prospectivefundraisers identify their areas of interest and talent for differ-ent types of fundraising strategies.

Generally, fundraising strategies encompass the followingtypes of activities: asking someone directly for a gift, socialgatherings, and selling something.

• Asking someone directly for a gift: Although these arethe most challenging strategies to implement because theyrequire you to feel comfortable asking for money for yourcause, they also generate the most money for the time involvedin carrying them out.

• Social gatherings: These are activities that bring peopletogether — at someone’s home, in a larger public setting, or tocarry out a pledge-raising event, better known as some kind of“-thon” (such as a walk-a-thon).

• Selling: With these strategies, the donor makes a pur-chase and receives — or has the chance to receive — some-thing tangible for their gift. This could be a chance at a prize(as in a raffle), publicity for their business (such as in an adbook), or a clean car (in the case of a car wash).

The self-assessment tool presented here correlates certainskills and preferences to these three types of fundraisingstrategies. It helps identify activities many people have donethat are not fundraising activities per se, but that require skillssimilar to those needed for fundraising.

When people using this tool tally their responses at the end, they can see the type of fundraising activity they seemmost suited to based on their responses to the 10 questions.For example, are they most suited to a fundraising task that involves asking someone directly for money? Would theyfeel more comfortable selling something, such as a raffle ticketor an item at a garage sale? Or are their preferences and talents more along the lines of organizing an event that brings people together to celebrate and support the work of the organization?

Share this self-assessment tool with your fund-raisingteam — it may even generate some enthusiasm to join yourfundraising efforts.

Finding Your Inner Fundraiser: A SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL

Created by Stephanie Roth & Kim Klein of the Grassroots Fundraising Journal

Fundraising Strategy Self-Assessment ToolThe following questions can help you identify the kinds of fundraising activities you would have the most fun with, as well as onesthat require skills you already have. For each, put a check mark next to the appropriate answer, then follow the instructions forusing the Tally Your Results section.

1. I’ve organized large (more than 30 people) birthday parties, weddings, or similar kinds of events.IF YES: I… enjoyed didn’t mind didn’t like the experience IF NO: I… would be willing to try it would rather not try it

Check here if your response was one of the italicized ones — then go to “Tally Your Results” (below) and circle #1.

2. I work (or have worked) in sales.IF YES: I… enjoyed didn’t mind didn’t like the experience IF NO: I… would be willing to try it would rather not try it

Check here if your response was one of the italicized ones — then go to “Tally Your Results” and circle #2.

WWW.GRASSROOTSFUNDRAISING.ORG • GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING JOURNAL

3. I have gone door-to-door in my neighborhood for some kind of cause (political, social, fundraising). IF YES: I… enjoyed didn’t mind didn’t like the experience IF NO: I… would be willing to try it would rather not try it


4. I do or have done public speaking.IF YES: I… enjoyed didn’t mind didn’t like the experience IF NO: I… would be willing to try it would rather not try it


5. I have or have had jobs (paid or volunteer) that required close attention to detail.IF YES: I… enjoyed didn’t mind didn’t like the experience IF NO: I… would be willing to try it would rather not try it


6. I have or have had jobs (paid or volunteer) that required organizing or supervising a number of people.IF YES: I… enjoyed didn’t mind didn’t like the experience IF NO: I… would be willing to try it would rather not try it


7. I have or have had jobs (paid or volunteer) that required recruiting people to do something.IF YES: I… enjoyed didn’t mind didn’t like the experience IF NO: I… would be willing to try it would rather not try it___ Check here if your response was one of the italicized ones — then go to “Tally Your Results” and circle #7.

8. I am often in situations where I have to interact with people I don’t know very well.IF YES: I… enjoy don’t mind don’t like the experience IF NO: I… would be willing to try it would rather not try it


9. I do talk or have talked to my friends about causes that I care about and why I care about them, even when I know my friends may not agree with me.

IF YES: I… enjoyed didn’t mind didn’t like the experience IF NO: I… would be willing to try it would rather not try it


10. My work (paid or volunteer) includes writing press releases, marketing and promotional materials, or advertising copy.IF YES: I… enjoy don’t mind don’t like the experience IF NO: I… would be willing to try it would rather not try it


TALLY YOUR RESULTS: 3 7 9 10: Direct Asking2 4 8 9: Selling1 4 5 6: Social Gatherings

The type of fundraising activity you are likely most suited for is the one that has the most numbers circled. You may well be aperson who likes or is willing to try more than one of these types of strategies. Many people who are good at selling are good atdirect asking; just as often, someone who likes social gatherings will be good at selling. Talk with the leader of your fundraisingteam about matching your skills and preferences with the group’s fundraising plan.

GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING JOURNAL • WWW.GRASSROOTSFUNDRAISING.ORG

Initial Questionnaire The Bayer Center is very excited to be working with you to develop new fundraising capabilities. While the process can be daunting at times, it can be learned and through it, we can help realize new possibilities for our communities! Please help us prepare by providing some background information. If something does not apply, please simply leave it blank.

1. How does your organization currently raise funds? Check all that apply.

Gifts from individuals in response to appeal letters:

Gifts from individuals in response to phone calls:

Gifts from individuals asked personally by staff/board:

Gifts from individuals in honor/memory of another:

Gifts from businesses for operations:

Gifts from businesses for projects:

Matching gifts from employers:

In-kind donations from businesses/individuals:

Foundation grants for operations:

Foundation grants for special projects:

Government funding – local/county level:

Government funding – state level:

Government funding – federal level:

Special Events:

Sales of merchandise:

Fees for service:

2. How many board members do you currently have? What is the attitude of your current board members towards fundraising?

3. Do you have a mailing list of individuals interested in your work? How do you communicate with them? 4. How do you recognize your donors? Check any that apply:

Listing names in newsletters/on website:

Phone calls/thanking in person:

Standard letter:

Personal note:

Event:

With a token gift:

Other:

5. Do you currently have a membership program? If so, what is the cost to be a member for one year? Is there more than one membership level?

Adapted from Kim Klein, Fundraising for Social Change Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at Robert Morris University

Fundraising Planning Worksheet Note: Complete a separate worksheet for each strategy

1. Classify your strategy Board Giving New Member/Donor Acquisition Member/Donor Renewal Special Appeals Special Events

Major Donors House Parties Businesses Foundations Planned Giving

2. Quantify your goal

Total dollars raised Number of new members/donors Percentage of renewing members/donors

3. Choose your action steps:

4. Identify who will do the work:

Staff (Specify) Board of Directors

Committee (Specify) Volunteers

5. Set a deadline for each action step:

6. Determine costs, if any, for each action step:

Postage, printing or supplies for mailings Refreshment and entertainment for events Printing t-shirts or other thank you items for donors

Agency Name

Fundraising Plan

Month X, 200X to Month X, 200X

Strategy Goal Action Steps Who When Expenses

Board

Fundraising

Raise $2,000, an

increase of 20%

from last year

1. Proposed ID process & askingStaff/BD

CommitteeJune - Nov $0

2. Board members make own gifts by Nov $100

New Member

Acquisition

250 new

members

1. Four mailings to 1,000 prospects each

(goal: 50 new members)Staff quarterly $2,000

$12,500 total in

member dues

2. Each board member recruits three members

(goal: 60 new members)BD May - Dec $0

3. Events (goal: 50 new members)Committee/

StaffMay - Dec see below

4. General public relations

(goal: 20 new members)

Committees/

Volunteers/

Staff

ongoing $0

5. House parties (goal: 70 new members) BD Feb - Dec see below

Renewals330 renewals

(66%)1. Four mailings Staff quarterly $1,000

$20,000 income

Special Appeals $5,000 1. Spring AppealFRC/Staff/

Volunteersby Feb 1 $250

2. Year-End AppealFRC/Staff/

Volunteersby Nov 1 $250

Special Events $6,000 1. Auction ($5,000) BD/Volunteers Feb $2,500

2. Dinner-dance ($1,000) BD/Volunteers Sept $200

Major Donors $50,000 1. Finalize MD plan Staff/FRC Jan $0

2. Implement plan Staff/FRC Jan - Dec $1,000

3. Plan and host gathering Staff/BD/FRC June $200

House Parties $10,000 1. Finalize dates for 10 gatherings FRC/BD/Staff Jan $0

2. Hold gatherings Hosts/BD Apr - Oct $1,200

3. Follow-up letters/callsHosts/FRC/

Staff

each

gathering$0

Businesses $10,000 1. Design and implement plan Staff/FRC/BD Feb - Dec $0

2. Mail solicitations (3 mailings) Staff/FRC/BD Mar/June/Oct $200

3. Business breakfast FRC/Staff May $500

From Kim Klein's Fundraising for Social Change

Updated, 10/17/2012

Agency Name

Fundraising Plan


Foundations $80,000 1. Evaluate last year's grant program Staff Jan

2. Prepare this year's strategy Staff Jan

3. Prepare one more capacity grant proposal Staff Mar $200

4. Prepare program grant proposal Staff May $100

Planned Giving Future Income 1. PG seminar Staff Oct $150

2. Request in every newsletter Staff 3/yr. $0

3. Open account w/local broker Staff by March 1 $50

4. Design/print PG brochure Staff/PGC by Sept 1 $3,500

$13,400Total Goal: $213,500 Total Expenses:


Updated, 10/17/2012

Agency Name

Fundraising Plan


Strategy Goal Action Steps Who When Expenses

Board Fundraising

by Nov $100

New Member

Acquisition

Renewals

Special Appeals

Special Events

Major Donors

House Parties

Businesses

Foundations

Planned Giving

Total Goal: Total Expenses:


Updated, 10/17/2012

Summarized from the Collaboration Challenge, by James E. Austin and the Leader to Leader

Foundation, 2000. Jossey-Bass.

Benefits of Partnering for Corporations

Strategy Enrichment “Builds a virtuous circle” Strong corporate social performance resulted in a “virtuous circle,” both benefiting from and

contributing to strong financial performance.

Corporate strategy can be significantly enriched by incorporating meaningful community engagement through collaboration with nonprofits.

Develops positive and trusted image with customers, potential customers, regulators, community groups, & legislators.

Moves community involvement from “nice to do” to “need to do” as a core business strategy.

Human Resource Management Community service programs: Help companies attract better employees *

Build employee motivation and morale+

Build loyalty and retention

Broaden employees perspectives of people of diverse backgrounds

Enhance core capabilities such as planning, teamwork, and collaborative leadership

Illuminate each employee’s capabilities, values & attitudes * 90% of managers agreed in a Conference Board survey of 434 companies. +

Morale was three times higher in firms heavily involved in their community (out of 188 companies surveyed. 1992)

Business Generation “Doing good is good business” Enhances reputation builds goodwill expands networks, relationships and markets

increases access to key consumer groups.

Provides arena to test innovations or launch new products

Increased sales through access to new customers

Culture Building “Community involvement is the central force that shapes and reinforces the core values vital to success” Builds caring organizational culture

Fosters a service-oriented mentality

Creates cohesion through common values

Celebrates high-involvement and high-impact leadership by reinforcing active engagement in making a difference

Serves as organizational glue—especially in crisis

Serves as a compatibility checkpoint for evaluating potential business partners

Grassroots Fundraising Journal Reprint: The Board of Directors 25

AA ll good fundraising plans have one thing in common:they show a diverse number of sources for their

income. The board of directors plays a crucial role in select-ing, implementing, and evaluating fundraising strategies.In addition to other ways that board members may partici-pate in fundraising, they individually commit to raisingand giving a certain amount of money, or commit to work-ing by themselves on specific strategies with no financialgoal attached.

It is a good idea for board members doing fundraisingon their own to write up their plans. This “contract” allowsstaff to know when they might be called on to help, ensuresthat events don’t happen on the same day or the samedonors aren’t solicited by several board members, and alsohelps to remind board members of their commitments.

In order for this method to work, the organization orthe board fundraising committee should think of manyspecific ways board members could actually raise money by themselves. The fifty-three ways suggested below are notan exhaustive list, nor will they all work for every group.Few board members could use all fifty-three ways, but

almost any board member should be able to use two orthree of them.

All of these methods have been used by different vol-unteers in a wide variety of organizations. Some methodsare much more popular then others. Some depend onaccess to certain resources.

Presenting board members with fifty-three ways thatwould work for your organization helps counter the excuse,“I would help but I just don’t know what to do.” Havingeach board member write out a plan, with goals and a time-line, also gives them a sense that if they do their best withthis plan, they will have helped significantly. Many boardmembers feel that fundraising is never ending, and that noamount of effort is enough. “Whatever I do, I could havedone more and probably should have,” they say. This feelingof inadequacy leads to high turnover, burnout, and resent-ment in boards. Specific fundraising contracts can helpavoid that result.

Following the description of the fifty-three ways boardmembers can raise funds, there is a suggested format for acontract and examples of some completed contracts.

Fifty-Three Ways for Board Members to Raise $1000

by Kim Klein

26 www.grassrootsfundraising.org • 1-888-458-8588 • 3781 Broadway, Oakland, CA, 94611

1. Give it yourself. This is the easiest way for those who areable, although if you are able to give this much money youshould be helping to raise much more than $1000.

2. List all your friends who are interested in your organization orsimilar organizations. Decide how much you want to ask eachone for. If you are not sure of an amount, use a range. Writeto them on your own stationery, include a brochure fromthe organization and a return envelope. Phone those peoplewho don’t respond in two weeks. Some people will need 10friends to give $100, and some people need 50 friends togive $20. Most people will need a combination of gifts of$100, $50 and $25.

3. Give part of the $1000. Then ask your friends to join you ingiving $50, $100, or whatever amount you gave. This ismost effective because you are not asking them to do any-thing you haven’t done.

4. Set up a challenge campaign. Challenge gifts can be quitesmall. Tell people you’ll give $5 for every $25 they give, orwill match every $50 gift up to ten gifts. For added sus-pense, make this challenge during a fundraising event. Youor the host can announce, “We now have the Dave Buck-stretch Challenge. For the next five minutes, Dave will give$5 for every new member that joins Worthy Cause.”

5. If your organization has several grassroots fundraising strate-gies in place, use them all:Sell 100 raffle tickets (@$2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $200Give $200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $200Sell 10 tickets to the annual event (@ $25) . . . . . . . . . . . $250Buy two gift memberships (@ $25). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 50Get 12 friends to join (@ $25) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300

6. Help with your organization’s phone-a-thon. Bring the namesof people you think would like to join and call until youhave raised $1000. Or trade names with someone in theorganization and call their friends until you have reached$1000. This is particularly effective for people who are shyabout asking their own friends for money but are not afraidto ask people they don’t know.

7. Acquire mailing lists for your organization. If you belong toanother group, perhaps you can set up an exchange, or per-haps you have access to a list of members of some othergroup. You can ask all your friends to give you the names of10 to 15 people they think would like to join. You wouldneed to recruit about 25 members at an average gift of $40.Depending on how “hot” your list is, you might need as fewas 200 names (to do a bulk mailing) or as many as 1500-3000 (if you expect a 1–2% response). You would have tohave a greater response if you wanted the mailing to pay forits costs and also generate $1000.

8. Give the organization something they need that is worth $1000,such as a new computer, filing cabinets, couch, softwareprogram, etc.

9. Pledge $28 a month, and get two others to do likewise.

10. Teach a seminar on a topic you know: fundraising, knitting,organic gardening, organizing, proposal writing, environ-mental impact reports, gourmet cooking, dog grooming,starting your own business. Charge $50-75 per person, witha goal of 15 to 20 people. Either absorb the cost of promo-tion, or have enough participants to cover it.

11. Give some or a lot of things to your organization’s garage sale,making sure they are worth $1000, and then help to sellthem all.

12. With four or five friends, have a spaghetti dinner at a temple,church or union hall or other big room with a large kitchen.Charge $10 per person and feed more than 100 people. Youcan charge extra for wine or garlic bread, or for dessert.

13. Have a fancy dinner at your home or a regular dinner at some-one’s fancy home. Serve unusual or gourmet food,or have special entertainment. Charge $40 or more per person, and have 25 or more guests.

14. Get three friends to help you have a progressive dinner. Startat one person’s home for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres,progress to the next person’s house for soup or salad, thenext person’s for the main course, and the last person’s fordessert. Either charge by the course or for the whole pack-age. To make it extra special (and much more expensive),get a limousine for the evening that carries guests fromhouse to house, or have live music at each site.

15. Host a house party. Do not charge admission and invite asmany people as you can. During the party, give a short talkabout your organization and ask everyone to consider a giftof $25, $50, $100 or more (depending on the crowd). Eitherpass out envelopes and ask people to give then, or after theparty contact everyone individually who came and ask for amajor gift. Indicate that you have given and, if appropriate,how much you have given.

16. Get your gambling friends together. Charge a $5 entrancefee and have a poker evening, asking that every “pot” besplit with the organization. Individuals win and so does theorganization. You can charge extra for refreshments, orinclude one or two glasses of something with the price ofadmission. (Watch the laws in your community on this one.In some communities it is illegal to gamble, even in yourown home.)


17. Do one fundraising event every other month. This might look like:Poker Party. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $200Fancy dinner (8 people × $50). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $400Sell 50 raffle tickets @$2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100Book sale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $200Recycle newspapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100

18. Solicit small businesses, churches, synagogues or service clubsfor $1000. If you are active in a church or you own your ownbusiness and are involved in business organizations or ser-vice clubs, this can be very effective. You can often raise$200-$1000 with a simple proposal and oral presentation.

19. Take a part-time job in addition to your present work and giveeverything you earn up to $1000.

20. Ask five to ten people to save all their change for three to fivemonths. You save yours. Count it at the end of the prescribedtime and use one of the other methods to raise the rest.(You may not need to.)

21. Ask two to five friends to help you put on a bake sale, booksale, or garage sale. You and your friends bake the goodies orget the books or the other stuff required for the sale, staff itand clean up afterwards. This is an excellent way to get peo-ple involved in fundraising without ever actually askingthem for money.

22. For the fairly rich: Give your organization $13,000 as an interest-free loan for a year. They invest it, earn 8%, and at theend of the year, they give your $10,000 back.

23. Sell your organization’s materials, buttons, T-shirts, bumperstickers, or whatever else they have for sale. Also, help distrib-ute these to bookstores or novelty shops.

24. The Farming Out Method: Entice five friends to sell 100 raffletickets at $2 each, or invite ten friends to raise $100 however theylike. Share this list of suggestions with them. Give them anice dinner at the successful end of their efforts (or a bottleof good wine, or a weekend away).

25. Get a famous or popular person to do a special event. Watchthe costs on this, or you may lose money.

26. Invite people to your birthday party and ask that in lieu of giftsthey give money to your organization.

27. Conduct a volunteer canvas. For one evening, you and agroup of friends take literature to all the neighborhoodsaround you and ask for money at the door. Be sure to com-ply with city and county ordinances.

28. Lead or get someone to lead a nature walk, an architecturaltour, a historic tour, a sailing trip, a rafting trip, or a horsebackride. Charge $15-$25 per person, or charge $35 and providelunch. Advertise the event in the newspaper to draw in peo-ple from outside your organization.

29. Start a pyramid dinner, or a chain dinner. Invite 12 peopleand charge $12 each. Get two people of the twelve youinvited to invite 12 people each at $12, and two people fromeach of those two dinners to have 12 people at $12, and soon. Here’s the income:

Your dinner $12 × 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $144 From your dinner $12 × (12 + 12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $288From those dinners$12 × (12 + 12 + 12 + 12) . . . . . . . $576From those dinners $12 × (12 × 8) etc.

Twelve is used in this example because it worked very wellfor the Nuclear Freeze Campaign in California, which wasProposition 12. In many communities, most of the incomefor the campaign was generated by 12 × 12 dinners.

30. Collect cans for recycling. Ask all your friends to save theircans and bottles for you and turn them in to a buy-backrecycling center.

31. Sell your frequent flyer miles to friends or donate them to theorganization for a raffle. Watch the rules of the airline on this,but some airlines let you give away miles, and you may beable to sell your miles as long as you don’t go through amileage broker.

32. If you live in a nice house or own a getaway cottage in a beau-tiful place or an expensive city, rent it out for a week or a weekendtwo or three times during the year and give the proceeds to yourorganization. Or rent a room in your home for much lessthan the cost of a hotel room to people needing a place tostay while they are on business in your city. You may evenmake a new friend in the process.

33. Organize a service raffle. Get four people (one can be you)to donate a simple but valuable service that many peoplecould use and sell raffle tickets for $10-$20 each. Keep theprice a little high so you don’t have to sell so many and sothat the buyers have a higher chance of winning. Servicescan include childcare for a weekend or for any weekendnight two weekends in a row; one day of housecleaning;yard work; house painting (interior or exterior), etc. Sell thetickets to neighbors, work mates and to other board mem-bers. Encourage people to buy several by offering discountsfor multiple purchases, such as one for $10, 2 for $20, but 3for $25, 4 for $35, 5 for $40. If you are really bold or live in amore affluent area, or have few friends, sell the tickets for$50 each. A full day of housecleaning for $50 is a real bar-gain, and buyers have a high chance of winning with fewertickets sold.

34. Offer to do something your friends and family have been nag-ging you to do anyway and attach a price to it. For example, quitsmoking on the condition that your friends donate to yourgroup, or get your friends to pay a certain amount for everyday you don’t smoke for up to 30 days. Agree to match theirgifts at the end of thirty days if you didn’t smoke and to give


them their money back if you did. (This method could beapplied to other healthy behaviors, such as exercising or noteating sugar.)

35. Find out what items your group needs and try to get themdonated. This is good for people who really hate to ask formoney but who don’t mind asking for things that costmoney. Items that one can sometimes get donated includecomputers, office paper and other office supplies, office fur-niture (second-hand from banks and corporations as theyredecorate), fax machines, adding machines, food, even cars.

36. If you or someone you know owns a small business that hasregular customers who receive a catalog or announcements ofsales, write them an appeal letter for the organization. Your let-ter can say something like, “You are one of my best cus-tomers. As such, I let you know about sales coming up andgood things happening in my store. Today, I want to tell youabout another good thing—what I do when I am not mind-ing the store.” Then go on to describe the group and ask fora donation.

37. Similar to #36, post this letter on your Web site. Link to theorganization’s Web site and ask people to donate.

38. If the organization doesn’t have a Web site or doesn’t keeptheir Web site up, ask all your techie friends to donate $100 eachand hire a Web Master.

39. Give it yourself. (This is so good I have to say it twice.)

40. Strategy with a long-deferred payoff (we hope): leave thegroup a bequest.

41. With similar hopes as above, get friends to include the group intheir wills.

42. Ask friends who belong to service clubs, sororities, antique col-lecting groups, support groups, bridge clubs, etc. to discuss yourorganization in their group and pass the hat for donations. Aonce-a-year sweep of even small groups can yield $100from each.

43. For the church-going: ask if your organization can be a “secondcollection.” The church passes the plate for its own collectionand then you or someone from your organization gives abrief talk (or sometimes the whole sermon) about yourgroup and the plate is passed again; the proceeds go to yourgroup.

44. A variation on the above is to organize a “second collectionSunday” and get as many churches as you can to take up a secondcollection for your organization on the same Sunday. Someonefrom your group will need to be at each service and give abrief talk. Second collection Sundays can be very lucrative:the Catholic Campaign for Human Development collectsas much as $20 million on one Sunday in all the participat-ing Catholic churches in the United States.

45. If, as a child, you collected something avidly that you nowstore in a basement, consider selling it. Coins and stamps areparticularly valuable and have usually increased in valueover the years. But your collection of rocks, toy ships orrockets, arrowheads, or dolls can also be valuable. Whenyou donate the income from the sale, you can deduct thatamount from your taxes—an added bonus of this strategy,since you probably paid little or nothing for the items in the collection.

46. Have a sidewalk sale or garage sale for your whole neighbor-hood or building. Go around to your neighbors and tell themyou will take their stuff outside and sit with it all day to sellit if they will donate half or all of the proceeds to yourgroup. Since this is stuff people want to be rid of anyway,it is a good deal for them. In one apartment building withten units participating in donating stuff, an organizationnetted $3,000 in one day. Three people from the organiza-tion helped with the selling. With a few high-ticket items,such as a washer/dryer or some nice lamps, you can makegood money.

47. If you have an artistic bent, offer to design greeting cards tospecification for organizations or individuals for a fee. If you aregood at calligraphy, sell your skills to schools for graduationannouncements, friends for classy but low-cost weddinginvitations, or just fun certificates such as “World’s GreatestDad” for Father’s Day or “Outstanding Friend.” Createunique Halloween costumes or masks. Donate the proceedsfrom your artistry.

48. Create a take-off on the “adopt-a-highway” technique by nam-ing budget items of your group as available for adoption. Youcould develop a flyer that reads, “The following items havebeen found near death from negligence and abuse. Won’tyou help? $25 per month will ensure that our computer ismaintained. $100 per month will release our photocopymachine from toiling with no toner and a dying motor. (Wecan lease a new one.)”

49. An idea for people who live in border towns: Get permission toplace a large container in stores or even at the airports of townsnear national borders. Have a sign that asks people (in severallanguages) to throw in any coins or paper money they havenot exchanged. Many times people leaving Canada or Mex-ico don’t have time to exchange all their money or cannotexchange their loose change. Multiply this times hundredsof shoppers or travelers and you can make a lot of money.UNICEF does this in many European airports.

50. Hold an “I’m Not Afraid” Auction. You can do this with justa few friends or hundreds of people if you have enoughitems to auction. You survey a few people (and use yourown common sense) about what things need to be done intheir home of office that they are afraid of or would really


rather not do. This is different from a service auction—there has to be an element of dread in the activity. Forexample, some people cannot wash their windows becausetheir apartment is too high or the second story of theirhouse is too high and they suffer from vertigo. If you arenot afraid of heights, you can sell your window-washingservice (bring a sturdy ladder). This goes for drain cleaning,minor roof repairs, antenna fixing, etc. Or, if you areunafraid of cockroaches or spiders, you can offer to cleanout that dark corner or garage or basement for a small fee.Snakes can be found in gardens and woodsheds, but maybethat doesn’t bother you. The problem doesn’t need to be asserious as phobia. How about allergies to dust, pollen,weeds? If you don’t have them, you can mow, sweep, cleanfor a fee. By marketing it as an “I’m Not Afraid” Auction,you also have the option for people to name somethingthey need done to a group of volunteers, and then have avolunteer say, “I’m not afraid to do that.” In that case, youwill need a set fee for service.

51. Similar to the suggestion above is the “Details Auction.” Thisis for all your friends whose desks are overflowing withpapers or who can’t get their receipts in order to give to thetax preparer or who complain they can never find anything.If you are a well-organized person, offer to clean up their

desk, get their Rolodex in order, file their papers, etc. If youlike to shop, sell that to people who don’t and do their holi-day shopping for them, or buy birthday, baby shower orniece/nephew presents for them. Anything that people feelthey cannot control is the organized person’s fundraisingdream come true.

52. Find out which of your friends (perhaps this is true for youalso) work in corporations with matching gift programs. Then askthem to donate and get their gift matched for your organi-zation, and ask them to ask their co-workers to donate andget their gifts matched.

53. Think of a store or service related to your organization orwhere a lot of your members shop. Ask the store to donate apercentage of profits for a certain day or week, or even for-ever. You can also explore this with mail-order firms. Thenyou advertise widely to friends, family and members thatJoe’s Florist will give 2% of each sale during Valentine’sweekend to anyone identifying themselves with your group.

As you can see, almost all of these strategies involveasking for money and giving money yourself. These are thebasic premises of fundraising—you must ask, you mustgive. Everything after that involves creativity, imaginationand a sense of fun.

Here are three examples of how people filled out similar agreements. Their names and organizations havebeen changed.

Example 1

I, Matthew Cornwall, will help Community Organizing Project toraise $250.

My gift: $5/month = $60

I will also:

1. Ask four friends to pledge $5/month. I hope at least 2 will sayyes, which makes $120. No help needed.

2. I will sell $70 worth of raffle tickets. (If any of my friends winthe cash prize, I will ask them to donate half of it.) No helpneeded. I will ask my friends by May, and sell the raffle ticketsbefore the drawing. You can also ask me to help with otherevents if you need me.

Signed: _______________________________________________________ .

Sample agreement form to be filled out by volunteers:

I, __________________________________________________________ , will help Effective Organization raise $ __________________ . My Gift: $ ______________ . Indicate how payment of this gift is to be made. (i.e. by pledgingmonthly or quarterly, or one lump sum, etc.)

I will also: 1. ___________________________________________________________

Goal: $ ___________________ . Staff help needed: _____________________________________ .Date of event: _____________________ .Date to begin planning event: __________________________ .

2. ___________________________________________________________

Goal: $ ___________________ . Staff help needed: _____________________________________ .Date of event: _____________________ .Date to begin planning event: __________________________ .

I am interested in more training in fundraising. ___ YES ___ NO

You may contact me for other fundraising efforts. ___ YES ___ NO

Samples of Fundraising Commitments by Board Members or Other Volunteers


Example 3

I, Carol Benson, will help the Advocacy and Action Task Force to raise at least $500.

My gift: $50 paid in one lump, as soon as I can.

I will also:

1. Solicit a new computer for our office. I will work on this untilMarch.

2. If that fails, I will solicit a fax machine. (I know some people inthe office supply business so I think I might succeed.) I willwork on that until May. No staff help needed, I don’t think, butif there is, I’ll give plenty of notice.

3. If the above two fail, I will have a barbecue at my house onthe Fourth of July. At least thirty people will come and pay $10.Goal: $250 (I will take $50 out for my expenses.) Staff helpneeded to send out invitations and prepare food.

4. I will get two other board members to help me do a big bakesale at Suburban Shopping Center. We will get all the bakedgoods donated and be there all day Sunday, June 14. Goal: $200 (maybe more)

Maybe I’ll do the last two anyway even if the first one or two aresuccessful. Don’t plan on it, though, and don’t ask me to do any-thing else unless you are truly desperate.

Signed: _______________________________________________________ .

Example 2

I, Jane Mahoney, will help the Women’s Rights Organization raise$1000 in the next calendar year.

My gift: $250, paid in one lump sum in January.

I will also: 1. Organize and teach a seminar on organic gardening. I plan to

have 20 people come at $25 each. I will pay for advertising. Goal: $500 Planning: I will need some help finding a free room for theseminar, but no other staff help is needed. Date of seminar: March 15. Date to begin planning: Jan. 15.

2. I will contribute my couch to the garage sale. It is worth $100,but I will sell it for $50. I will buy a classified ad in the citynewspaper telling people where to come to look at it. I will alsohelp at the sale. Goal: $50 Date: Whenever the garage sale is. Planning: I need the staff to tell me the date of the sale amonth in advance so I can get the ad in the paper.

3. I will work on the phone-a-thon. I will bring the names of 25people and call them myself that evening, and will call anyoneelse I have time for.Goal: 20 people actually joining @ $15 = $300Date: June 15 Planning: No staff help needed for my participation in thephone-a-thon.

Note: I plan to go $100 over my $1,000 goal, so that in case some-thing goes wrong I will still make my goal.

Signed: _______________________________________________________ .Kim Klein is co-publisher of the Grassroots Fundraising Journal.

assessment tool adapted from audit developed by dallas center for nonprofit management

1

AGENCY DESCRIPTION

Agency mission: ______________________________________________________________________ Does this mission reflect who you currently want to be?

Yes No

If “no”, please provide further explanation: ________________________________________________ What are the highlights of the organization’s history? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What are the organization’s most significant challenges? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Services offered:

_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________

_____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________

If everything else is changing, what are we not willing to change? What are our core values? ____________________________________________________________________________________ Number of participants/contracts served each year: _________________________________________ How has the client base changed over the past three years? ___________________________________ What does our organization do well? What makes us most proud? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Where could we improve? What are some things that are impeding our progress on our goals? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Which current projects are the most promising? Why? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ What is exciting about the future of our organization? Projects? Community outreach? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

2

COMPETITORS, PARTNERS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS

Are there other agencies offering the same services in area?

Yes No

If “yes”, please describe similar agencies and services: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What makes your organization unique? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Briefly describe partnerships:

Current Partners: Is this partnership

productive? What are specific results of the

partnership?

1. Yes No

2. Yes No

3. Yes No

4. Yes No

5. Yes No

Potential Partners:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Please describe the following relationships with individuals. Who are your Community Champions (the people in every community who get things done and can help you achieve your goals)? Who are Strong Volunteer Leaders (people you would like to attract to your board or committees):

Community Champions: Strong Volunteer Leaders:

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4 4.

5. 5.

3

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

How many board members do you have? _______

Is this the right size to accomplish its work?

Yes No

If “no”, please provide further explanation: ________________________________________________ How are board members identified, recruited and oriented? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are there board subcommittees? Yes No

Is there a development/fundraising committee? Yes No

Do the committees function effectively? Yes No

If “no”, please provide further explanation: _____________________________________________

What does the board understand its role to be? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How active have individual members been in fundraising? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Does 100% of the board annually contribute? Yes No

If “no”, what percentage of the board contributes: _______

4

STAFF

How many people are employed by the organization? _______ full-time _______ part-time

Is there a director of development? Yes No

Is there a development staff? Yes No

If there is no dedicated development staff, which staff members are responsible for fundraising? ___________________________________________________________________

Tenure with organization

Professional Strengths

Professional Weaknesses

Executive Director

Development Director

What does the organization see as critical staffing issues over the next three years? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Does your organization have a succession plan developed for key staff changes? Yes No

Does the organization have adequate space in which to do its work? Yes No

How does the organization utilize volunteers? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5

ANNUAL BUDGET

What is the annual operating budget? $_______

% of annual budget Dollar amount Other

Fees for services ____% $_________

Which services?

Government grants ____% $_________

Which government entities:

Foundations ____% $_________

Which foundations:

Corporations ____% $_________

Which corporations:

Individuals ____% $_________

# of individuals:

Does the agency expect a dramatic loss in any of the above categories? Yes No

If “yes”, please provide further explanation: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Does the organization generally have enough cash on hand to meet operating needs? Yes No

Does the organization have a relationship with a bank or other outside source of cash to allow

necessary borrowing? Yes No

6

FUNDRAISING EFFORTS

Does the agency have a written long-range or strategic plan? Yes No

If yes, when was it developed? _____

If yes, did both board and staff participate in the development of the plan? Yes No

Is there a 3-5 year fundraising plan? Yes No

Are there fundraising guidelines? Yes No

Does your organization have:

A database

Yes No

If yes, how many individual donors are in your database? _____

Annual campaign Yes No

If yes, when does it take place? ____________

Special events

Yes No

If yes, when do they occur? ________________ _______________________________________

Direct mail campaign Yes No

If yes, when does it take place? ____________

Membership campaign Yes No

If yes, what is the retention rate? ____________

Who determines:

fundraising goals? _________________________________ fundraising activities? _________________________________ fundraising prospects? _________________________________

How do you articulate your agency’s success? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What additional fundraising efforts are you considering? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7

Who specifically is going to do it? Any new people involved? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How are you going to pay for the associated costs? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What is your net revenue goal for each planned activity? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Documents

0 Fundraising Agenda - PA Parks & Forestspaparksandforests.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Fundraising.pdf · Adapted from Kim Klein, Fundraising for Social Change Bayer Center for